


Highway to Hell

by CelestialCelly



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: #hotbloodymess, Angst, Blood, Friendly Fire is On, Gen, Guilty Gladio, Hurt/Comfort, Ignis Scientia is a Mess, Injury, Noctis being a sweetheart, Please protect these boys from me, Prompto struggling to be calm, There will be blood., Whump, Why is it so fun to hurt this poor man?, You can thank Orphelwe for that tag, seriously though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-26
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2020-05-19 20:39:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19363771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelestialCelly/pseuds/CelestialCelly
Summary: One day I'll give Ignis the fluffy fic he deserves, but not today - today he's going to be bleeding in the back of the Regalia after a fight against a group of cactuars went horribly wrong.





	Highway to Hell

**Author's Note:**

> A couple of weeks ago, I found a tweet suggesting a prompt involving one of the boys bleeding out in the back of the regalia, while the others try to keep him alive. Here's my take on that scenario :D  
> Also, big thanks to my best bud for beta reading (wow that alliteration). She's great - As well as another friend that came up with the title for this fic <3  
> Anyway, I'll shut up now and let you read. I hope you enjoy the angst!

“Prompto, watch the god damn road!” Gladio growled from the back of the Regalia as the sharpshooter took another sharp turn, throwing them all into the walls of the car. The large man glared knives at Prompto through the rear-view mirror in the hopes that he would understand the urgency of the situation.

  
Next to the blond, Noctis sat on his knees in the passenger’s seat, facing away from the dashboard with his arms wrapped around the back of the leather seat to keep himself steady. His worried gaze glued onto Ignis, who was lying as outstretched as he could be in the small confines of the car. His weak head resting on Gladio’s lap, while the large man tried to strip the advisor of his bloodied shirt with one hand, and the other firmly pressing a cloth against the ghastly wound on the side of his stomach as it continued to stream blood at a sickeningly fast pace.

  
When he finally managed to undo all the buttons on the front, Gladio struggled to slip the ruined shirt from his shoulders without jostling the injured man. Handing the once-purple top over to Noctis, the Shield then reached into the emergency first aid kit they usually kept in the back of the Regalia, searching for alcohol wipes and dressing.  
Try as he did, but guilt still managed to shoot through Gladio’s veins as his memories of the event started to recollect - the event that lead Ignis to be in such agony.

  
He clicked open the tub of wipes and began to clean the wound.

 

* * *

  
The last thing he remembered clearly was fighting a group of cactuars alongside his comrades. The hunt was easy; since they were in a smaller space, the numbers dwindled very quickly. His huge blade sliced clean through the middle of a skittish one, and he quickly jumped back to try and keep his momentum for the next foe. But as he turned around, too late did he see the last one as it shot what felt like ten thousand needles into the arm Gladio narrowly managed to raise in time to protect his face.

  
The toxins from the shallowly buried pins sent him to the ground from a sudden loss of balance. It was after he hit the ground that his memory went fuzzy. Dizzy with vertigo, he struggled back to his feet, pinching the thin needles on his tattooed arm and yanking them out as quickly as he could.

  
He summoned his greatsword again and tried to ignore the blurriness of his vision as he swung at the closest thing moving in his direction in the hopes that he could stop the live cactus, but only cut through air. Distantly, he could hear voices like he was underwater, and the blur he struck at before darted quickly again, trying to grasp at his sword-wielding hand, while the other came closer to his face with something in its grasp… Something he didn’t like.

  
Not wanting to find out what its intentions were, Gladio kicked the oddly tall cactuar - A gigantuar, maybe? - square on its chest, knocking it flat onto its back. Without even a spare thought, the large man swung his blade sideways, as though to cut through the centre of the beast like a shoot of bamboo.

  
The blur narrowly managed to turn away from the immediate danger, and the brute was frustrated to see that he only just sliced into the fiends side - not enough to put it out of its misery.

  
But something seemed off. _Cactuars don’t scream._

  
It was then that he heard the swimming voices again, getting steadily louder. Suddenly he felt heavy, like something - _someone_ \- was tackling him to the ground, - two someones, actually - one had its full weight on top of his thighs, pinning his wrists by his sides with a vice grip, and the other was sitting on his chest, prying his mouth open with force, before the rim of a bottle was placed between his lips.

  
The taste of the liquid sliding down his throat was bitter and unpleasantly sticky. It made him want to gag, but he couldn’t get enough air to his lungs to do so with whoever was sitting on his chest. Gladio blinked a few times once the liquid was gone, the clouds in his vision fading, and he could finally make out that the voices he heard were Noctis and Prompto, as were the bodies pinning him down. While he was relieved to see them, the expressions on their faces spoke of a mix of worry and frustration.

  
Confusion. He realised. They had to force a remedy into him.

  
It didn’t take long for his confusion to turn to discomfort. While it was a rare occurrence because of his strength, the large man despised the feeling of being unable able to move, and was about to tell them to get off, when Noct swiftly - and almost desperately - scrambled over to where the gigantuar Gladio attacked was, freeing him.

  
But much to the shield’s horror, the beast was no where to be found.

  
And Ignis was lying _right_ where it fell… Clutching a massive gash to his abdomen. His face twisted in agony and tears pricking at his eyes as he tried to stem the bleeding in vain. A second remedy next to him, the glass bottle in pieces, and the sticky liquid oozing onto the ground.

  
Gladio wanted to throw up.

  
They used up their last potion yesterday.

 

* * *

  
  
“How is he?” Noct asked for what seemed like the eighth time in five minutes. Gladio finished tying off the bandage around Ignis’s stomach and moved his hand towards his neck, shaking his head subtly when he felt his pulse was still rapid but weaker than the last time he checked. “He’ll be weak for a few days, but we’ll make it in time.” He wasn’t sure who he was trying to reassure.

  
The Prince reached an arm out to grab Ignis’s hand that hung awkwardly off the side of the seat. Gently rubbing a thumb over the top of his knuckles to try and give him some comfort, Noct did his best to keep a steady voice. “Specs? I need you to talk to me, okay? Can you please open your eyes?”  Gladio shuffled his grip to make Ignis more comfortable, but kept a firm hand over the wound, since he lacked the strength to do it himself now.

  
The advisor stirred at his words with a groan, his brows pinching as he struggled to open his eyes to look at his dear friend. “We’re almost there, right Prompto?” The Prince turned his head briefly to face the blond.

  
“Just a tiny bit further. We’re nearly at Lestallum.” Prompto nearly squeaked. His hands fidgeting on the wheel as though they were not moving fast enough for his liking. His left foot tapping on the floor impatiently as he struggled to keep his nerves under control.

  
Noctis strained a smile, “You hear that, Iggy? We’re gonna get you some help, and then you can rest for a little bit. How’s that sound?”.

  
Ignis turned his pale face up to look at him with a meek smile, giving the hand holding his a subtle squeeze. “I’m so sorry, Noct.” The advisor spoke breathily, as though it were all he could do to speak.

  
“Shh… You have nothing to apologise for. It’s _my_ fault I accepted the hunt without having any potions on us.” He looked up at Gladio, knowing he would feel equally as guilty for being the one who put Ignis in such a state. “Just promise us you won’t die.” Noctis forced out a stiff chuckle.

  
A short wheeze that could have been a laugh slipped from Ignis’s throat. He closed his eyes for a moment and swallowed, before re-opening his sea-green gaze to look up at the orange glowing sky. “I wouldn’t dare… Think of it.” It was getting more and more painfully obvious that he was struggling to breathe. Each inhale was slow and deep, but each exhale was laced with a wet whistle at the ends.

  
Ignis altered his gaze from the darkening sky over to the large man when he heard his breath hitch quietly. “It wasn’t your fault, Gladio… Please, don’t blame yourself for my impatience.” The pale man feigned another smile, dark circles forming under his eyes.

  
Gladio’s frown eased only marginally, the large hand wrapping his dying friend’s shoulder shuffling to brush back a lock of blond hair that had fallen over his spectacle-protected eyes. “How are you feeling, Iggy?” The brunet eased the frames off of Ignis's face, folding them up before storing them back in their small clean black case.

  
The smile on Ignis’s face fell, and he closed his eyes again. “…Cold.” The lean man shivered closer to his friend for warmth, pulling his legs closer by only a small amount.

  
Gladio placed a large palm to the advisors forehead, and gestured to the Prince with a nod. “Noct, do you have his jacket?”.

  
Without a moments hesitation, the charcoal-haired man leant all the way over his seat with the black suit jacket in hand. Wrapping it over the top of his childhood friend, before removing his own jacket and adding it over his legs like a blanket.

  
“Hows that, Specs?” Noct reached back to grasp Ignis’s hand between both of his. The latter nodding with a throaty groan that said was probably a “Thank you”.

  
“Hey, what did I tell you; keep your eyes open, okay?” The younger man tilted his head to the side in a mild manner.

  
“Sorry, H- Highness…” Ignis whispered in hoarse gasps, and it scared the hell out of Noctis when he realised the silver gloved hand in his grip was getting weaker by the second, but he did open his eyes again - even if only a little.

  
“Prompto, how far away are we?” Noctis nearly yelled with panic, startling the blond man. But he didn’t take his eyes off Ignis for a second.

  
“About two minutes!” The sharpshooter spoke far too quickly. His nerves very clearly on edge now, for he could only maintain calmness while driving for so long.

  
“C'mon Iggy, we’re nearly there. Just stay awake for a little longer.” Noct looked up at Gladio, “You okay to carry him?”.

  
Wordlessly, his shield nodded in agreement. Brushing more of Ignis’s dirty blond hair back in the same way Noct had seen him do to Iris when she was younger.

  
Ignis’s head lolled to the side, his vibrant green eyes slipping closed under lids and long black eyelashes. A rattling noise coming from the back of his throat, as though he were trying to say something but just couldn’t get the words out.

  
“Iggy, keep your eyes open!” The gentle tone gone from Noct’s voice as desperation started to take hold.

  
He didn’t open his eyes.

  
“You need to stay awake!” He couldn’t help the tremors that started to develop in his hands. Only worsening when he could faintly feel his advisor’s grip drift to nothing.

  
Gladio’s fingers flew to his neck again, trying to find any signs of a pulse. “Iggy! Can you hear me?” The Shield’s voice rumbled loudly against the purring engine of the Regalia.

  
“Guys? Whats happening? _Is Ignis okay??_ ” Prompto shrieked. His head turning to face them for split seconds at a time, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the road.

  
Ignis’s wheezing stopped.

  
Noct shook his head repeatedly and his breathing picked up. “No. No no no _no NO_!”

  
“Gladio? can you feel anything? Please tell me he’s not gone!” The Prince looked up at his Shield with hot tears streaming down his face.

  
This couldn’t be happening.

  
He was supposed to be by his side when he married Luna.

  
He was going to watch him ascend the throne, and bring peace to the world.

  
He wanted to make him proud.

  
He couldn’t lose Ignis.

  
_Not like this._

  
Gladio looked up from the advisor with red eyes and wet cheeks.

  
He couldn’t say it.


End file.
